David Cameron quits Tory frontbench as Sunak names interim top team
David Cameron has stepped down from Rishi Sunak's team of top lawmakers while the Conservatives introduced a temporary group of ministers as they prepare for a competition to choose a new party leader.
The party announced that Lord Cameron and Richard Holden have stepped down from their positions in Sunak's leadership team. Andrew Mitchell, previously holding the title of deputy foreign secretary, has now taken on the role of shadow foreign secretary.
Sunak currently holds the position of leader of the opposition, until a replacement is found. Jeremy Hunt and James Cleverly will continue in their roles as shadow chancellor and shadow home secretary. Oliver Dowden will continue to serve as Sunak's deputy.
Many of the additional changes are related to former ministers losing their positions or resigning, with a number of them being replaced by former junior ministers within the same department.
James Cartlidge is now in charge of defense, taking over from Grant Shapps. Ed Argar is now overseeing justice, replacing Alex Chalk. Damian Hinds has stepped into the role of education, taking over from Gillian Keegan. Julia Lopez is now in charge of culture, replacing Lucy Frazer. Andrew Griffith has taken over the science and technology brief from Michelle Donelan.
Kemi Badenoch has switched roles, moving from being the business secretary to now serving as the shadow communities secretary. She has taken over the responsibilities from Michael Gove, who has resigned as an MP. Kevin Hollinrake, one of Badenoch's former junior ministers, will now be in charge of the business sector.
Chris Philp, a former minister responsible for policing, has now been appointed as the shadow leader of the House of Commons. This follows Penny Mordaunt, who previously held the equivalent position in the government, losing her seat.
After hearing about X's resignation, Cameron wrote on his blog, expressing gratitude for his time as foreign secretary. He acknowledged the need for the Conservative party to closely follow and scrutinize the new foreign secretary's actions in the Commons.
I informed Rishi Sunak that I would be stepping down. I am happy that Andrew Mitchell, a close friend of mine, has taken on the role of shadow foreign secretary. Despite the disappointing election outcome, I will remain dedicated to the Conservative party and offer my assistance in our efforts to rebuild.
Several ex-ministers have retained their roles, including Victoria Atkins in the health department, Steve Barclay in the environment ministry, Mel Stride serving as the shadow work and pension secretary, and Claire Coutinho shadowing energy security and net zero initiatives.
Helen Whately, who previously held the position of social care minister, is now taking on the role of shadow transport secretary. This change comes as Mark Harper, the former transport secretary, lost his seat.
Richard Fuller, who has been serving as a Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire since 2010, has been appointed as the temporary party chair in place of Holden.
Fuller expressed that the Conservative party faced a tough election and it's essential to come together and think about the outcomes. They need to honestly evaluate the party's strengths nationwide and identify areas for growth. By standing united, the party can effectively monitor and critique the new Labour government.
The person who takes over Sunak's position as leader will likely choose their own team of top advisors. It is still undecided when the new leader will be selected, as there are disagreements within the party about the timeline for this decision.
Supporters of Sunak are saying that he does not plan to continue in his role past the summer. This could mean that the Conservative party might have to choose a temporary leader if the leadership contest drags on for a few more months.
